by Hwang Sunghee SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — China and Russia pushed Tuesday for talks to defuse the “confrontational spiral” between the United States and North Korea after Kim Jong-Un stepped back from a planned missile strike near Guam. The North Korean leader said he would wait and see how the US behaved before deciding whether to execute the planned launch of four missiles over Japan towards the tiny US territory in the Pacific. Some analysts suggested […]
Tag: Sanctions
Amid calls for restraint, Trump again cites ‘military’ option on N. Korea
by Brian Knowlton, with Yanan Wang in Beijing WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — United States President Donald Trump and his French counterpart pledged Saturday to work to denuclearize North Korea, but Trump again invoked the grim possibility of “military measures” if other steps should fail. Trump’s latest warning came amid a flurry of international calls — from China, the North’s key ally, as well as Russia, Germany, Britain and the United Nations — for the […]
EU adds to North Korea sanctions list
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — The European Union on Thursday expanded its North Korean sanctions blacklist as fiery rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang sent tensions soaring. The 28-nation EU has steadily increased asset freezes and travel bans on North Korea over its repeated violation of UN resolutions on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. After tests of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the United States mainland, the UN last week imposed the most […]
N. Korea condemns UN sanctions, says no nuclear negotiations: KCNA
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea on Monday condemned the latest round of United Nations sanctions imposed against it over its weapons programs, saying it would not negotiate over its nuclear arms while it was threatened by the United States. The sanctions passed at the weekend were a “violent violation of our sovereignty,” Pyongyang said in a statement carried by its official Korea Central News Agency. “We will not put our self-defensive nuclear deterrent […]
UN toughens sanctions on North Korea
by Carole Landry Agence France Presse UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — The UN Security Council on Saturday unanimously backed a US-drafted resolution that significantly strengthened sanctions on North Korea, imposing a ban on exports aimed at depriving Pyongyang of $1 billion in annual revenue. The sweeping measures were the first of that scope to be imposed on North Korea since US President Donald Trump took office and highlighted China’s willingness to punish its […]
Moscow, EU hit out at US after lawmakers’ vote for new Russia sanctions
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Moscow and the European Union hit out at the United States on Wednesday after an overwhelming vote by the House of Representatives to impose new sanctions on Russia left President Donald Trump facing a tough call. The package, which targets Russia, Iran and North Korea, “tightens the screws on our most dangerous adversaries in order to keep Americans safe,” House Speaker Paul Ryan said after it passed on Tuesday by 419 votes to three. […]
No G7 consensus on fresh Syria sanctions: Italy’s Alfano
LUCCA, Italy (AFP) — G7 foreign ministers have failed to agree on whether fresh sanctions should be imposed on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or his ally Russia, Italy’s Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said Tuesday. “At the moment there is no consensus on new sanctions as an effective instrument,” he said at the close of a two-day meeting in Italy, after his British counterpart Boris Johnson raised the issue with the Group of Seven. “There are […]
G7 warns Russia of tougher sanctions
Leaders of the G7 industrial nations meeting at a Brussels summit, warn Russia of further sanctions over its actions in Ukraine. Malou Francisco reports from The Netherlands.
US ramps up pressure on Russia as Ukraine separatists sit tight
The US has warned Russia of further sanctions unless it helps convince Ukrainian separatists to leave government buildings. They have so far ignored the terms of a deal to de-escalate the crisis and refused to budge. US national security advisor Susan Rice said Moscow must use its influence to persuade pro-Russian activists to implement the Geneva deal, which order those occupying administrative buildings to disarm and leave. Rice warned that the US was otherwise prepared […]
North Korea fires 10 short-range missiles: Yonhap
(Reuters) – North Korea fired 10 short-range missiles into the sea off the east of the Korean peninsula on Sunday, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, citing unidentified government officials in South Korea. Yonhap said the missiles flew for 70 km (45 miles) before splashing into the sea. North Korea is not banned from short-range missile launches under U.N. sanctions and frequently tests its arsenal. The North has toned down its bellicose rhetoric towards the South, although it has […]
CEOs of biggest Russian firms could be hit by sanctions: paper
(Reuters) – The CEOs of Russia’s two largest firms are on a list of those who may be hit next week with European and U.S. sanctions over the Crimea crisis, a German newspaper said on Friday, suggesting tougher than expected measures against Russia’s elite. Moscow shipped more troops and armor into Crimea on Friday and repeated its threat to invade other parts of Ukraine, showing no sign of heeding Western pleas to back off from the […]
EU and US start Russia sanctions, call Crimea referendum illegal
The EU and US have both announced preliminary steps against Russia over the situation in Crimea. Chancellor Angela Merkel said EU economic sanctions could follow within days unless Russia changes tack. The European Union announced that it would suspend talks with Russia on visa matters after a hastily-convened leaders’ summit to address the Crimean crisis on Thursday afternoon. The European Council statement also announced the postponement of ongoing negotiations, started in 2008, seeking a more […]





